One convicted, two cleared in 2014 deaths of men in B.C.’s Cariboo

Andrew Jongbloets was found guilty Friday of the lesser charge manslaughter in the 2014 deaths of 23-year-old Matthew Hennigar and 22-year-old Kalvin Andy in Anahim Lake in B.C.’s Cariboo/Chilcotin region.

The two others accused in the deaths, Christian Craciun and Serena Rhem, were acquitted in B.C. Supreme Court in New Westminster. The three had been charged with second-degree murder.

On Dec. 26, 2014, the Anahim Lake RCMP received a report just before midnight of shots being fired at a home in the 2100 block of Dorsey Road.

Upon arrival, police found Hennigar and Andy dead. Both Aboriginal, Hennigar lived in Anahim Lake and Andy was from Bella Coola.

Police said the victims and accused were known to one another, although their relationships and the motive for the killings were not released at the time.

On Friday, the judge granted an application from the defence lawyer to apply a publication ban on all evidence heard during trial. Another accused, Bryan “Everett” O’Reilly, is set to have his first-degree murder trial heard in January.

Last year, charges were dropped against Lucille Mack, 33, and Steven Mecham, 22, who were each facing two counts of manslaughter using a firearm in the case.